Why is Gdansk an attractive destination for Asian workers?
Gdansk is one of the most beautiful Polish cities on the Baltic Sea. Due to its rapid growth and high demand for workers in industry and services, it has recently attracted many economic migrants from Asia.
For them, working in Gdansk means attractive salary and a lower cost of living compared to Western European cities. In addition, the Tricity agglomeration (Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia and the surrounding towns and cities) has many advantages for a high quality of life, such as good infrastructure, green areas and safety.
The media in the Philippines, Bangladesh or Nepal constantly report on the very poor treatment of Asian workers in Dubai or Kuwait. In contrast, they associate Europe as a safe place where human rights are respected. Many of them have encountered racist behaviour in Muslim countries, but not in Poland.
Why does the Tricity need Asian workers?
Poland’s economy has been growing rapidly in recent years, with the Pomeranian region achieving some of the highest economic growth rates in the country. Hence the need for additional manpower.
The supply of culturally and linguistically close workers from Eastern Europe is running out. Therefore, many large enterprises in Poland are increasingly willing to sign contracts with employment agencies that bring workers from Asia.
Nowadays you can quite often meet Filipinos, Vietnamese and Indians on the streets of Gdańsk and Gdynia. Employers believe that workers from Asian countries learn very quickly and are distinguished by their hard work, responsibility and self-control. They are interested in longer-term cooperation. This is exactly what large Polish companies expect.
Types of work available for Asian workers in Gdansk
Companies in the Tricity most often employ Asian workers for simple production, warehouse and services. Industrial plants working with metals, wood and other materials often need skilled workers to operate machinery and production lines.
Another popular sector is construction. Gdansk is growing rapidly and new construction projects require many hands to work. Asian workers can find employment in both large infrastructure investments and smaller projects.
The shipbuilding industry is also an important part of the labour market in Gdansk. Due to its proximity to the sea and sailing traditions, many yacht and shipbuilding companies are looking for specialists for roles ranging from engineers to manual workers.
During the summer, Gdansk attracts tourists, which increases the demand for staff in hotels and restaurants. These employers offer not only employment during the season, but also often for longer periods.
It is worth noting that the labour market in Gdansk is open to cultural and linguistic diversity, which is also conducive to the integration of Asian workers.
Legal requirements and documents required to work in Poland
In order for a citizen of India, Bangladesh, the Philippines or Nepal to work legally in Poland, the employer must obtain a work permit for him or her. On the basis of the work permit, while still in their country, the job applicant needs to obtain a document that legalises their stay in Poland and allows them to take up employment – for example, a work visa.
When wishing to employ a worker from Asia, South America or Africa, the employer cannot use the simplified procedure, the so-called statement of entrustment of work. In this situation, he must obtain a traditional work permit. This is precisely work permit type A.
The process of obtaining a work permit for an Asian employee can take up to 2 months. It includes formalities such as obtaining a certificate from the starost on the inability of the employer to meet its staffing needs based on willing workers from Poland (the so-called labour market test).
Importantly, in order for an employer to obtain a Type A work permit for a foreign national, the employer must not offer in the contract to the foreign national lower salary than that of native workers performing work of a comparable type or in a similar position.
How can a worker from Asia look for job opportunities in Gdansk?
Searching for Asian workers to work in Poland and dealing with all the associated formalities is usually time-consuming and requires specialist knowledge.
For this reason, companies that are willing and organisationally ready to employ workers from Asia generally outsource the acquisition and care of employees to temporary employment agencies. The agencies are familiar with the specifics of the individual countries and have the required agreements in place with foreign government institutions.
In addition, the agencies take comprehensive care of the needs of both parties: they provide adequate accommodation for workers, keep an eye on deadlines for payment of salary and payment of social and health insurance contributions. They are also constantly responsive to the needs of workers in their relations with employers.
Therefore, if an Asian person is looking for job offers in Poland, the fastest way to find employment is through an agency. Ideally, the recruitment agency should be based in the city in Poland where the job candidate would like to work and live. In this way, the job candidate will avoid unnecessary bouncing around the doors of companies that, although they would be happy to accept job candidates from Asia, are afraid of the paperwork involved.
Advice from Vitas Group: When choosing a temporary employment agency, be sure to check the reviews about the agency and its length of time on the market. Keep checking our job offers and write to us if you find something you like on our website!